My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5

If there’s one thing we all try to avoid if at all possible, it’s this:  Disappointment.

Disappointment has been defined as unmet expectations[1]. Some of us live in such utter dread of being disappointed in life that we try to protect ourselves by lowering our expectations. A researcher tells of a 60-year-old man who had decided to “live disappointed rather than risk feeling disappointment.”

“I used to think the best way to go through life was to expect the worst,” he said. “That way, if it happened, you were prepared.  And if it didn’t happen, you were pleasantly surprised.  Then I was in a car accident with my wife and she was killed. Needless to say, expecting the worst didn’t prepare me for it at all.  And worse, I still grieve for all of those wonderful moments we shared and that I didn’t fully enjoy. My commitment to her is to fully enjoy every moment now. I just wish that she was here now, now that I know how to do that.”[2]

Bad things do happen in life. Scripture tells us that the “rain [falls] on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 4:5).  But Jesus taught, “Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34).  When you live in personal relationship with God through Jesus, God has personally gone ahead of you into your tomorrow—He promises that “He will never fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Yes, when we enjoy the pleasures of life, our families and our work, we demonstrate that God is our sure hope (Ecclesiastes 9:9-10). We can leave tomorrow’s disappointments for tomorrow, knowing God is already there.

[1] Brown, Brene.  Atlas of the Heart. Audiobooks, 2022, https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/atlas-of-the-heart-mapping-meaningful-connection-and-the-language-of-human-experience/526729

[2] Ibid.